Vehicle running-gear.



PATENTED MAR. 26,1907.

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. M I va W no n 7 UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

VEHICLE RUNNING-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 26,1907.

Application filed May 9,1906. Serial No. 315.917.

To all whom, it iii/my concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. BENTLER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Erlanger, county of Kenton, State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Running- Gear for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is a runninggear for vehicles which moves readily to allow the vehicle to turn corners, by means of which a sharp corner may be turned easily, and which is provided with means for rendering the movement of the vehicle-body free from sudden olts and from tilting. This object is attained by the means described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a runninggear embodying my invention with the vehicle-body mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the running-gear, the full line showing it in the position it assumes when the vehicle is turning a corner and the dotted line showing it in its position when the vehicle is running in a straight line. Fig. 3 is a central vertical detail sectional view, upon an enlarged scale, through the axle, the pivotpost, and the housing for a pivot-post. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the rear axle, the pivotpost, and the brace rods connecting the perch-pole and the axle in a modified form of my invention. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken upon line as x of Fig. 4 upon an en larged scale.

Referring to the parts, the front and rear axles A and A have centrally secured to them vertical pivot-posts B, similar in construction, so that in describing them it will be necessary to describe but one of them. Projecting inwardly from the pivot-post on a line with the axles each pivot-post has formed integral with it a horizontal stud b. Surrounding the pivot-post B is a vertical annular flange 1). Pivot-post B has secured to it a collar b held in place by means of set screw 1). Surrounding the pivot-post B is a hollow shell C, which has in its lower end an annular recess 0 to fit over the annular flange 1), at its upper end is internally screwthreaded to receive a screw-threaded cap 0, and upon its interior near the lower end has a shoulder 0 Between the shoulder c and the collar b is a coiled spring cl, and between the lower end of the cap 0 and the collar 6 is a second coiled spring d. Both the front and rear housings have inwardly-projecting external cone-shaped studs 6 and 0 which pass through cone-shaped perforations in front and rear brackets E, which have hori zontal faces a, perforated to pass screws for attaching the vehicle-body F. The studs 0 have a central square bore to receive horizontal rods G and G, which are tapered at their inner ends to lie flat against each other and to pass through a coupling-block g, which is supplied with a set-screw g for holding the rods G and G together to form what I term the perch-pole. The block 9 has mounted upon it a horizontal leaf-spring H, whose ends are adapted to bear upward against the bottom of the vehicle-body to prevent the side tilting of the same. Beneath the spring H a horizontal metal bar It is secured to support the vehicle-body in case of the failure of the spring H to do so. To the horizontal stud I) of the front axle is secured a horizontal rod M, which terminates at its inner end in a disk m, and to the horizontal stud b of the rear axle is a horizontal tube M, in which is located a horizontal rod m, which terminates at its inner end in a disk m Disk m and m are centrally perforated to pass the pivot-screw m The rear axle A is connected to tube M by means of brace-rods m and m.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the front axle A is turned to enable a vehicle to turn a corner, the pivot-post B rotates in the housing C, the rod M is drawn out of line with the rod M, as shown in Fig. 2, and the rod M turns the rear axle A upon its pivot-post to permit the vehicle to turn a sharp corner. It is seen that the weight of the vehicle-body is communicated to the shell 0 and thence is borne by the spring (1 bearing down upon the collar 6 and that any jar upon the vehicle is taken up by the front and rear springs (1. Each recoil of the spring (1 is retarded by the spring (1 bearing upward against the collar 6 so that the movement of the vehicle-body isl smooth and comparatively free from 0 ts.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated a modified form of construction wherein the studs 1) of the pivot-posts and rods M and M, with their connections, are entirely omitted. In this construction in place of having the brace-rods m and m connected to the rod M, I have placed a sliding block R on the rod G, said block having a downward por- IIO tion 1" with cone-sha ed studs 1" r to receive I projectin studs, a erchole connectin P g P P g the inner ends of brace-rods m and m, which I the studs, brackets mounted rotatably upon 0 are secured to the rear axle A. The coneshaped studs 1" r permit the tightening of the nut r upon the bolt 1' to take up any play between the brace-rods m and m and the studs 9" and T when the same have become Worn from use. It is seen that in this construction the rear axle A is not capable of a rotating movement in respect to the vehicle-body F.

What I claim is- 1. A means of coupling the axle to the vehicle-body consisting of a pivot-post secured centrally to the axle, a collar carried by the pivot-post, a housing surrounding the pivot-post and having a horizontal stud, a spring Within the housing bearing at one end against the housing and at the other end against the collar of the pivot-post, and. a bracket mounted upon the stud and adapted to be secured to the vehicle-body.

2. In a vehicle running-gear the combination of a front and rear axle, vertical pivotposts secured centrally to each axle, housings mounted upon each of the pivot-posts, springs for supporting the housings on the pivot-posts, said housings having inwardlythe studs and a means carried by the perchpole for bearing against the vehicle-body to prevent the side tilting thereof.

3. In a vehicle running-gear the combina tion of a front and rear axle, vertical pivotposts secured centrally to each axle, housings mounted upon each of the pivot-posts, springs for supporting the housings on the pivot-posts, said housings having 1nWardly projecting studs, a perch-pole connecting the studs, brackets mounted rotatably upon the studs, means carried by the perch-pole for hearing against the vehicle-body to prevent the side tilting thereof, the front and rear pivot-posts having inwardly-projecting horizontal studs, the front stud carrying a horizontal rod, terminating at its inner end in a perforated disk, the rear stud carrying an inwardly-projecting tube, a sliding rod Within the tube terminating at its inner end in a perforated disk, and a pivot-bolt coupling the said disks.

JOHN W. BENTLER. Witnesses:

WALTER F. MURRAY, AGNES MoOoRMAoK. 

